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Hall responds to the critics and prognosticators

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Five-star wide receiver Jalen Hall uses his ears and eyes well. He knows everything that’s being said about him by college football fans and recruiting publications everywhere. That means he’s well aware of all the predictions that he’ll commit to USC.

Even as TrojanSports.com interviewed Hall this week, he was reminded that he’s expected to be in USC’s 2018 class. When we asked what about the latest between him and the Trojans, 2018 USC quarterback commit Matt Corral interrupted the interview to give his take.

“He’s going to commit,” Corral answered for Hall.

The 6-foot-3 and 182-pounder had a different answer than his new quarterback.

“I’ve been talking to them mostly every week,” Hall said of USC. “They’ve been talking to me about coming back down there. Of course I’ve already been down there a couple times. But I’m thinking about going back down there soon. And everything’s been way faster than it was last year. The whole process. I’m really considering it. Everybody thinks I’m going there but if it happens, it’s not because of what everyone says. It’s clearly what I thought.”

Hall knows everyone is guessing that he’ll eventually enroll at USC. At this point, he finds humor in it.

“I really just laugh it off,” Hall said. “It got funnier. Before, it was just like, alright, you all are just talking. Now it’s getting funnier and it would be even funnier if I really end up there.”

He also insists that everyone has jumped the gun. He says he hasn’t picked a college yet.

“Every interview I tell them that I really have to make sure it’s the best decision for me,” Hall said. “I have to think about life after football and football. A lot of schools prepare you for life after football and USC does too. But I really want to make that’s the best fit for me. A lot of players, they don’t mind sitting. I’m ready to go into college and play. Of course I have to put in the work. I’m not worried about who’s there because competition is what I’m used to. So I want to make sure that’s really what I want to do. So if it is USC or any other school, I want to make sure it’s right. I want to take my time with it, that’s all.”

In fact, Hall doesn’t plan on making a commitment until National Signing Day.

“I’m taking the whole time,” Hall said.

While he contemplates his decision, he also plans to take visits. Hall expects to visit Nebraska sometime in June. He also believes he’ll visit UCLA and USC sometime soon.

And while most prospects eventually choose to stay close to home, Hall insists he’s open to leaving Los Angeles.

“Nobody really minds staying home, of course,” Hall said. “That’s home. I don’t mind staying home but I also don’t mind leaving, experiencing something different, something new and get away for a little bit. That’s what I’m deciding right now. But I’m really just waiting on the best school for me. I’m not really saying do I want to go here or there. I’m just saying I want to get to know a lot of schools, a lot of coaches, the university itself, outside of football. Of course I‘m not going to be able to get to every college. But most of them, I’m trying to get to know more about them other than football and really figure out what I really want to do, life after football. Maybe that’ll help me choose a school, whatever it is. But ya’ll keep saying USC. I’m cool with USC, my people are over there. USC is really cool and I like it.”

Clay Helton and Tee Martin are recruiting Hall to USC and they’ve worked hard to ensure he’s interested in potentially being a Trojan.

“That they can prepare me for the next level,” Hall said. I’ve watched JuJu (Smith-Schuster) play, I’ve seen a lot of people come out of USC just watching. A lot of them, most of their receivers are in the league now. And I see them make them better and really work on routes. But they’ve just telling me to come here, they’ll get me prepared for the next level, life after football, which is what I’m talking about now and just competing, get better. And I see that everyday I go up there. Ya’ll are working, I understand ya’ll can make me better. But it’s just a lot. The whole situation is just a lot going on. I’m sure every other athlete could say that too. But some commit early, some wait and I’m just going to wait it out.”

Hall is also well aware that everyone, from coaches, to fans, to the media, constantly evaluate his game. He’s heard all the whispers about his play and he accepts it.

When asked about his offseason, Hall says he’s confident in what he’s done. And he’s using what everyone says about him as motivation to perform even better.

“I believe I’m doing well," Hall said. "When I got to Poly, I just became stronger and a more mental player. I just feel like I have to be a leader now. Especially when, I’m used to being my boys. I’ve been at Hawkins for three years and they all know who I am. Now I’m around people who know of me but they don’t really know who I am. So I really have to show, this is me. I just came over here and I just became a leader. That’s what I feel my weakness is. I can be a leader but sometimes I just chill back. I feel like I learned my lesson from that. Losing last year, the championship at Hawkins, that wasn’t the plan of course. We wanted to go to state. And losing that game, It didn’t feel good, like if I would have stepped up more as a player, whatever it is, even if it’s just talking to them, a lot of things would have went different. I told a lot of the Poly players and coaches, like I understand how it feels. Some of them understand too but I understand how it feels. It’s not a good feeling. So I want to take more responsibility of being a team player and going harder. And really showing what a great player looks like and what being a top player looks like. It’s not just being able to perform on the field. It’s being able to show you’re a team player. And even when you’re not getting the ball and running routes full speed. There’s a lot of people that try to knock me for that, try to say I don’t run full speed when I’m not getting the ball. I don’t take it a diss, I take it as a compliment. Now I know I’m doing something wrong so I have to fix it. So I just try to work on the small things.”

And it should be pointed out that it is still the offseason. When the lights turn on for his first game as a Jackrabbit, Hall says we should expect his best.

“You’ll for sure see a new and different me, overall,” Hall said.

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